Brake FAQs
What types of brakes are used in a DEUS vertical rescue system?
Do DEUS vertical rescue systems have built-in redundancy?
What types of brakes are used in a DEUS vertical rescue system? The DEUS 3100 has four independent brakes for quadruple redundant safety.
The fixed-path, hands-free figure 8 brake has no moving parts and guards against
free-fall. Figure 8 brakes have been used by mountaineers for decades because
of their simplicity and proven reliability. The
DEUS 3100 improves on the basic figure 8 by locking the rope into a fixed path that works
hands-free.
The disk brake operates just like
the disk brakes on a motorcycle. As the control knob
on the DEUS 3100 is turned from full open to stop, the machined steel
disks in the disk brake are pressed
together and apply increasing braking force. Turned all the way to stop,
the disk brake will slow descent to a complete stop.
The centrifugal
brake in the DEUS 3100 acts
as a governor and limits descent speed to about 3 meters per second - hands-free. The centrifugal brakes
we use are made
by SUCO in
Germany. SUCO has been supplying centrifugal brakes to
prevent runaway elevators since 1945. They are the best in the world.
The
manual brake
has
no moving parts and gives you complete finger-tip control over descent,
independent of the other brakes in the DEUS 3100. Tail the free end of the rope and descent
can be easily held at a complete stop, or increased up to about 3 meters per second.
Do DEUS vertical rescue systems have built-in redundancy? Yes,
the DEUS 3100 has four
built-in braking systems for quadruple redundancy and
extra safety.
First
is a fixed path, hands-free figure 8.
Second is the disk brake under the control
knob. As the knob is turned toward the "engaged" position, the two plates of the brake
are pressed together,
friction is increased, and descent speed is slowed.
Third is the integral centrifugal
brake that
limits descent speed to
about 3 meters per second. Fourth
is a manual tailing brake with the free
end of the rope. Controlling the free end of
the
rope
with
a gloved
hand and pulling it over the side of the DEUS 3100 creates friction that slows descent. Quadruple
redundancy means safety you can trust.
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